Hold Me Together

Two

Stephen runs into the hospital and nearly slides into the wall. Instead, he slips and falls, almost taking down a nurse.

"Sorry sorry. Excuse me."

He picks himself up and makes his way to the desk were Cy was sitting and doodling.

"Which room?" He asked, catching his breath.

"206. Peter is sitting outside to scare off any other doctors."

Stephen chuckles. "Sounds about right. Thanks for calling me"

"Yeah well we don't need a repeat of last time you weren't here."

Stephen winces. Tony had come in with a broken arm and another doctor tried to help him. Tony panicked and broke his wrist. Peter had explained that the doctor had looked like Steve Rogers, Tony's husband. After they had gotten Tony calmed down and explained that he was a doctor who had just transferred, Tony had paid the man's medical bill and compensation.

Stephen walks down the hall and finds Peter sitting outside the room, like Cy had said. The teen jumps jump when Stephen came close. The glitter of his color guard uniform flashes in the bright hallway lights.

"Dr. Strange! Thank god you're here. He hit his head this time."

"Do you know exactly what happened?"

"Um..Well I wasn't there, we had a game in Middletown but I know what dad told me."

Stephen reaches out and touches Peter's arm. "Tell me what you know."

"Well, they went out to some restaurant and you were looking at him and Steve didn't like that."

Stephen lowers his head and rubs his temple. He had a bad feeling this was his fault when he got Cy's call. God he felt like such an ass.

"I'm so sorry Peter."

"Dr. Strange this isn't your fault."

"This time, it is." He looks up into the younger man's face. "I'm going to fix this. I'm going to get you both out of that house."

"How?"

"I'll figure something out. Neither of you deserve this." He says, pulling open the door to Tony's room. As he enter, he reads Tony's chart.

"Hello Tony." He says, looking at him. "I wish I could say it was nice to see you but given the circumstances, that would be a lie."

"Hey Stranger!" Tony says with a loopy giggle. "Get it? Cause your name is Strange."

"Yes, I get it. Very funny." But Stephen did crack a smile. Loopy Tony was adorable.

"A nurse gave him painkillers." Peter explains.

Stephen nods and checks the vitals. "You have a concussion. From hitting your head."

"Oh. Well that's no good."

"No it is not." Stephen almost chuckles. "Sorry about Collins by the way. He's a new intern and didn't know any better."

"Can I tell you somethin?" Tony asked.

"If you'd like."

"I wish your name wasn't Stephen."

Stephen turns to him, bemused. "Why's that?"

"Because. You're good and nice and you care about me. My Steven...I don't think he cares about me. Do you think he loves me? For real?" Tony asked, his eyes wide.

Stephen bites his lip, not answering. Peter had turned his head and looks out the window. The question made Stephen's heart hurt.

"I don't know Tony." He answers softly.